In Game
by Veoviing
Summary: It was supposed to be a dream. Or maybe just a game? Natsuki Kuga finds herself trapped in a fantasy world where all humanity depends on her to fight off the demon race. However, what if their hero is a bit... reluctant?
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR NOTES:**

So in my spare time between reading great fanfiction like Inter Nos and Crimson Kiss, I like to look up light novels with the "transferred to another world" theme. Thus, I wanted to try writing my own short story and see how it went. No clue where I want to go with this - just know I want to fit in a bunch of cliches.

My style has yet to mature, so take pity on any mishaps that befall my writing. Leave a comment to tell me what you think!

Natsuki blinked. This was certainly a strange dream. She had been in her apartment a moment ago and now she found herself in some large, white space. When had she fallen asleep? Items from her room were scattered around - including some pillows, books, a couple jackets, her game console, an empty pizza box, and her backpack.

She moved over to her backpack and looked inside. Yup. Wallet, phone, tic-tacs, etc. Nothing seemed to be missing. For a dream this was pretty detailed. Also kinda empty. The white space seemed to go on forever. Hopefully this dream didn't last too long. It was getting boring pretty fast.

Suddenly a chiming sound filled the space. It was followed by the appearance of a pink haired woman in white robes - and a white apron?

"Greetings."

Natsuki noticed that the woman was floating off the ground by a few inches. Weird. "You are... who, exactly?" She shifted from her squatting position, backpack in hand, to a standing one to get a better look at the woman and size her up.

The floating diety, for her part, was also observing the young woman. The girl wore blue trousers that clung tightly to her legs and a short, white tunic(?). Obviously, this new culture preferred showing off the human form. Their textiles were quite different from the last time she visited.

Beyond that, the girl had striking emerald eyes and dark hair. Really quite the pretty thing. Perfect for the role the goddess would now bestow.

"I am the goddess Fumi. The humans of my world are in need of a savior. You will be one of three given to them for their deliverance." The floating woman paused to give the other a moment to respond but the girl merely gave her a hard stare and a raised brow. Her stance - tense but unreadable. Usually these world travelers were so full of questions.

"However difficult this task may be, take heart that you shall take with you a piece of my own power. It will protect you from evil. Be blessed thus so."

Natsuki suddenly felt a strange energy course through her body. It didn't hurt, but it did feel slightly uncomfortable when the pressure in her head increased. Like right before your ears pop due to a change in elevation.

"What the hell?" This dream is getting weirder and weirder.

"Is there a problem?" This "goddess" looked confused by Natsuki's tone.

"No. Or, yes!" Natsuki ran a hand through her long hair. "Is that it?"

"I don't follow your meaning..." said Fumi.

"If I'm interpreting the plot of this story correctly, then I'm like the hero of some fantasy game? Don't I get some special equipment or a special skill?" _Gah, that sounds weird to say out loud._

"You're asking for a gift beyond the blessing bestowed?" The goddess sounded amused at this.

"Yeah, lets go with that." This dream had to be due to the game she played last night. It had something of a similar backstory to whatever was happening here. A fantasy hero blessed by the gods roaming the world. The setting was full of crafting and farming. The perfect recipe for an addictive game. She should know. She'd been playing it going on two weeks now.

"Very well. Speak your desire then. You are the first of the three Hime. Please choose something to reflect that position." The goddess didn't have a problem granting this request. Obviously, the human was taking her new job seriously.

"No pressure then." Natsuki grunted under her breathe. She thought about what she would ask for. What should she ask for? Obviously, she wasn't going to take this too seriously. "Alright then. I want..." Her eyes landed on her game station. The game she had played last night was probably still in the disc slot. "I want power. Like a video game character." She didn't think it sounded like the coolest gift she could have asked for, but it didn't really matter.

"A game character?" Goddess Fumi had a blank look on her face. It wasn't that hard to understand, was it?

"Yeah." Natsuki crossed her arms. "I want to have power like you see in characters from games like-" She picked up her console. "-this one. After all, power in reality can only get you so far." She said those last words a bit bitterly but the goddess didn't comment on her behavior.

"Very well. Give me this device holding your... character." Natsuki held up the console and the goddess used some sort of magic to levitate it the rest of the way to her. She then proceeded to dissolve it into floating numbers and letters - it looked kinda like computer code or something. If this wasn't a dream, Natsuki would have been pretty damn mad that this lady just magically destroyed her game station.

"I see. What an interesting concept." Fumi expanded the magical code and then seemingly imploded it into a ball of light until it fit easily into one hand. Light peeked out between the cracks in her fingers. She brought it close to her and whispered something before releasing the white light. It floated down to Natsuki's hand before dimming into the shape of a small crystal attached to a chain. She held it up. The finely cut, clear crystal was a little smaller that the length of her thumb. And inside it was an even smaller crystalline structure - this one a rougher cut and colored green.

"Keep this necklace with you at all times. It will enable you to access certain characteristics that will make you similar to a 'game character'. It will also be connected to any magic gained so you can use it with more control. It acts as an amplifier of sorts. No one should be able to remove this from your person, but if you do take it off - beware." Her tone sounded grave at the end of her explanation but Natsuki kept her eyes focused on the jewel in front of her.

A chiming sound filled the air once again and when Natsuki looked back to the goddess, she had vanished. "Fare-thee well, hero. I hope we meet again and much luck to you on your quest." The disembodied voice echoed in Natsuki's mind.

Right before the world turned from white to black.


	2. Chapter 2

Natsuki was _very_ confused.

Rightfully so. She wasn't in her apartment, waking up after an exhausting night of gaming and an odd dream - but instead she found herself sitting on top of some sort of rock platform sitting high in the sky. There were markings carved into the stone, but she couldn't make them out. They looked like scribbles. Her stuff from her room was littered around her (sans her game console) in the same position they had been from the white place in her dream.

 _Am I still in the dream?_

Natsuki felt dazed. This couldn't be real. She looked with confused emeralds at the blue full moon above her and shivered as a wind blew over the flat rock.

This was a dream. Nothing more to it. (Though, if this was the result of all-nighters on a fantasy game, she'd probably need to rethink her life-style.)

She sighed and wandered over to grab her leather jacket off the floor, backpack still in hand from when she had spoken to Fumi. Tugged it on, she instantly felt grateful for its protection from the cold. Well, she wouldn't get anywhere if she stayed here looking like an idiot. Better to get... whatever this was, over with.

The young woman slung her pack over her shoulder and moved to the edge of the platform. It was pretty easy to see the surrounding landscape from her vantage point with so much moonlight. From the looks of things, she was on one of three tall, rock pillars. These circled a fourth seated at a lower height. This central platform held a group of people in white robes chanting over glowing circles set in the stone. She couldn't tell from this distance what they were saying, but for some reason she could feel the gist of their magic. It felt similar to the energy she felt when the goddess had "blessed" her.

Natsuki heard something behind her and, turning, noticed a few men seemingly appear out of nowhere. One wore a white robe and held an old looking staff. The others appeared to be soldiers.

The dark haired girl stared them down. Were these friends or foes?

"Hero!" A younger man stepped forward from the group. He had gold-plated armor and a jewel encrusted sword at his hip. Spiky brown hair and matching brown eyes with an x-shaped scar on his cheek - though it hardly stood out against his blush. "I-I am the prince of this kingdom! You can call me Takeda!" He attempted a formal bow in his flustered state but it came out somewhat uncoordinated as he shouted out his name.

Natsuki raised an eyebrow at the display. This moron was a prince? She looked over the group he brought with him. Besides the mage (she assumed this guy was a mage), the prince had three guards - all sporting dark iron chainmail and plate. Their swords were sheaved on their belts but they each held a long spear pointed skyward. They looked a bit embarrassed by their prince's awkward display.

She turned her eyes back to the prince, who immediately blushed harder in the light of the full moon. "I've... "I've come to retrieve you! If you would please follow me." He turned before finishing his sentence with a flap of his blue cloak and made a gesture towards the mage. The man set to creating some sort of portal. The sound she had heard before accompanied the light now spinning midair. It sounded a bit like a breeze flowing through a crack in a wall.

The prince moved through the portal, though his guards waited behind for Natsuki to follow. She complied - there didn't seem to be any other way to get off this rock after all.

A flash of light and a slight sense of vertigo later, Natsuki found herself on the central platform containing the large group of magi. They were still chanting in some strange language. Natsuki could feel the goddess' touch with them even stronger now.

She quickly became distracted from the scene when she looked down at the shining floor. The circles of light set into the stone at their feet were entrancing in their brilliance. What she had thought to be scribbles on the other platform, glowed as a bright array of designs and patterns here. She had never seen something so mesmerizing. They called out to her. Natsuki felt like she might even be able to understand them if she concentrated a little longer.

Of course, this distraction didn't last long. The idiot prince decided to break her trance by sidling next to her and trying to start a conversation. "May I have the honor of knowing the name of such a lovely maiden?" He was probably trying to make up for his bubbling mess earlier. Natsuki's irritation flared, but she decided to keep cool and treat this like the dream it was - it struck her as stupid to get angry at a figment of _her_ imagination.

She decided to ignore him and get straight to the heart of the matter. "Why are they chanting?"

The faint glow from earlier returned to his cheeks and, ever to please, he rushed to answer her. "Of course you would be interested! They are continuing the same god-tier magic that called you here. The other two heroes should appear on those summoning pillars there." He pointed out two of the three surrounding rock formations. "This is truly amazing magic that can only be performed once every while due to the large amount of pure mana it takes! Only once every blue moon as they say." His face turned serious as he continued. "But these are dark times. Every precaution must be taken." He grit his teeth in anger. "Those demons will pay."

The prince's explanation was ended by a sudden bright light from one of the three surrounding pillars. Several of the guards looked in awe at the light, though they didn't seem surprised. Natsuki surmised that this must be another "hero".

"Men! Get me to that rock." The mage from before moved forward at the prince's command and opened another portal. Takeda proceeded to go through it along with his soldiers. The mage, though, paused. They turned their head to the dark haired girl standing some yards away. Were they expecting something from her? The moment passed and the mage entered his portal.

Natsuki was left alone with the chanting mages. She noticed one of the rings of light had gone out on the ground - leaving only the dark grooves of carved stone behind. Outside of this dark circle was another one and beyond that, the edge of the platform. The lip of the stone was only broken by what appeared to be the beginning of a stone staircase. She inspected it to indeed find stairs leading down. She couldn't tell how far to the bottom - just that this platform was only a bit taller than the forest surrounding it.

Natsuki looked over her shoulder before taking the first few steps. _No point staying to wait for that idiot to get back._

The forest was deeper and darker than it had originally looked. Natsuki thought she was moving in the direction of what she could only guess was a town. Flickers of firelight had been visible from when she descended the stone tower. Now she wondered if she was only getting more and more lost. The animal trail she was following could be turning her around in circles for all she knew.

Bush branches scraped against her jeans as she moved and rocks seemed to be jumping out of the ground to trip her. Not such a fun hike when the trees began blocking the moonlight.

Natsuki took a moment to access her situation. She shifted the backpack strap before pausing - and sighing in exasperation at what an idiot she was. She swung the pack around and rummaged through it before feeling the cold shape of her cellphone. Flicking it open relieved that it had almost full power but no signal. _Figures_.

She made sure to turn on the flashlight app as she started walking down a hill. Using the light from her phone, the young woman kept on eye on her footing until the terrain leveled out again.

After a while, her thoughts found their way back to her situation. If she could just get to a town, then she could find the king or queen of this place - and hopefully get some more useful information than what that idiot could tell her. Then she could play out whatever this was until she either woke up or...

Natsuki shook her head and kept walking forward. She'd rather keep thinking this was a dream.

Or she would have liked to if, moments later, she hadn't been attacked.

The pain came out of nowhere.

It shot through her thigh, making her fall into a heap on the ground. She screamed out and clutched at the wound in her leg. A spike stuck out visibly through the top of her jeans.

 _What the hell?!_

A buzzing sound caught her attention as it came closer. It flew slowly over the light of her fallen cellphone, laying some yards away, to reveal a sort of giant wasp-like thing - it had a few too many claws though and it was an odd color. Her mind vibrated in pain while her eyes moved to the two huge spikes sticking out of it lower abdomen... Pointed right at _her_.

Natsuki threw herself to the side as another one of its needles shot into the ground where she had just been. They were as long her forearm and wickedly sharp. She grit her teeth and stood against the pain in her leg. The monster seemed to be somewhat wary of her but gaining courage as it came closer. There was no time.

Another bolt slammed into the dirt as she jumped outside its reach. Her leg was bothering her less and less, probably due to the adrenaline, as she dodged another and then another. She even managed to somehow pull the spike from her thigh after hiding behind a tree. It hurt like heck but.. less than what she had expected. Natsuki didn't bother checking to see how much blood she lost.

A bolt glanced off her tree, splinters falling into her hair. It struck the bulky wood a couple more times before stopping. The thing seemed oddly slow to her for some reason. Were the wings just for show? Why wasn't it attacking her more fiercely? _And what in the WORLD was that thing?! Some sort of bee? No stripes though._

Natsuki stopped her thoughts and her heavy panting when she noticed she couldn't hear the sound of the thing's buzzing anymore. She carefully peeked around the edge of the tree, holding her breathe.

The bug thing wasn't there. The forest where it had been was empty. Emeralds searched frantically for any sign of the creature. _Where?_

Trying her best to walk silently, Natsuki attempted to back away from the pierced tree. She had to gain some distance from this place. She had to-

 _WHAM!_

The wind was suddenly knocked out of Natsuki as the bug monster crashed into her. She barely had time to let out a choked scream before her back hit the ground _hard_. Her head spun at the sudden contact with compact earth.

Through the pain the girl numbly realized the thing was looming over her prone form. She cracked her eyes open a little wider as her mind cleared. Her heart nearly stopped. Large dark orbs looked back at her - the bug's head twitching from side to side. It's antennae tasted the air around her as they wiggled atop the thing.

The trapped woman moved her head from left to right to see if there was something to grab onto. Her hands and feet scrambled at the earth in an attempt to run away but the bug merely put a put a claw on her shoulder to push her back down into the ground.

Natsuki grunted in anger at this turn of events. _What was this thing's deal?! Was it just toying with her?_

A sudden snapping sound reached her ears before the screams of pain. Something had just given out in her shoulder. Natsuki could feel tears of anger on her cheeks even as she fought to move the creature's foot with her good arm. Her shoulder was on fire!

 _This can't be how I go._

 _This WON'T be how I go._

Her anger turned into something akin to the energy she felt in the white room. It completely flooded her senses. She could feel it nearly vibrating under the tips of her fingers. It was building. Purring. Wanting to get out.

Natsuki released it.

The creature let out an inhuman screech as ice covered it - creeping up from where it touched her.

Time seemed to slow down as her breath fogged above her. Everything was quiet.

If this was a dream, then it was surely a nightmare.

 _Ping_

A sound went off in her head. If she hadn't blacked-out, she would have seen the words "LEVEL-UP" at the edge of her vision.

Not far off, a figure in white watched the power of the goddess's champion as it decimated its opponent and spread unconstrained over the forest - freezing everything in sight. If this was only an inkling of the summoned one's power, then what would they be like if they were properly trained?

 _I need to report this immediately._

 **ED NOTES:**

2nd chapter! DONE! I'm hoping to introduce a certain red-eyed beauty in the next chapter, so stay tuned!


	3. Chapter 3

Natsuki stared unblinking at an unfamiliar ceiling after waking up. She remembered the idiot prince, the hike through a dark forest, and the fight with an ugly bug creature. And now she was apparently in some lavishly decorated bedroom of sorts.

How'd she get away from that situation in the woods? She'd have to find out who saved her from that weird monster. The prince maybe? What was his name?

The young woman paused her thoughts when the attack made her think about her injury. She quickly looked under the covers expecting bandages, but sighed in relief to find nothing amiss. What happened? She was still in her old clothes and there was a hole in her jeans now - but nothing beyond that to show she had been stabbed. Her shoulder felt fine as well. Not a trace of bruised muscle or broken bone.

 _Maybe I just imagined it._ Natsuki hoped to herself.

But no. It had been real. Her hand found its way to the crystal hanging around her neck. All of this was real. She had been summoned to some fantasy world.

Which meant...

If this world was real, then that thing that happened with the pink haired lady was real! And if that was real... _That bitch destroyed my game!_

Natsuki groaned and covered her face with her hands. All that data. Lost. All her hard work. Gone.

 _Woe is me._

She stopped her self-pity when she remembered the rest of her interaction with the apron wearing... goddess... magic person. The woman had said something about being like her in-game character? If this fantasy world was anything like any of the fiction she read or games she played, then she should be able to access game-like features, right?

Natsuki sat up and thought. There had to be something like a game menu or an inventory (maybe?). She took a deep breath and yelled out, "Open Menu!"

Nothing happened.

"Inventory!"

Nothing.

"Items!"

Notta.

 _Hmmm. Maybe I need to do some sort of movement?_

She tried moving her arms and hands around in different patterns (like a ninja) in the air before she realized how embarrassing she looked and flopped back down on the sheets, cheeks rosy.

Natsuki felt something tug at her neck due to the movement and absentmindedly grabbed the crystal necklace. The image of the goddess popped into her mind at her touch and she remembered when the goddess had given it to her. _After destroying my console. Damn woman. But maybe this can help?_

The girl felt a tiny zip of energy and a floating transparent item menu opened in front of her eyes at her mere thought.

 _!_

The menu contained a basic list of the items in her inventory and a status window containing information about her stats and her status history.

Name: Natsuki Kuga

Level: 3

Race: High Human

Class: Craftsman

Job: ?

HP: 150

MP: XX80

SP: 80

 _Drat_. Her jobs and levels had been erased. Though, for some reason, she hadn't been reset to level one. She hovered in her mind over the status history and saw she had increased her level after defeating the "Ruby Stinger" (which she guessed was that wasp monster).

She was about to try investigating the weird MP status when the door to her room opened. A girl peeked around the door frame. She wore a blue sailor uniform and had spiky brown hair with two small braids.

Amber eyes shined with excitement as she exclaimed, "You're awake! Mai!" The head disappeared from the doorway only to be replaced moments later with that of a busty redhead. Natsuki guessed from her looks that she was around the same age as person wore a grey skirt, red shirt, and blue jean jacket. Obviously, she was one of the other people summoned here. Which would make that high schooler the third in their group of other-world travelers. Neither of these newcomers seemed to notice the transparent menu.

"I'm relieved to see you're awake." said the busty girl, smiling gently. She made her way over to a chair by Natsuki's bedside and sat herself. The spiky haired girl trailed after and sat herself on the ground next to the chair. Natsuki sat back up in her bed, dismissing the menu by taking her hand off the necklace, to better face them.

"How do you feel?" The redhead seemed genuinely concerned in her question.

"Fine." _Was she though? After what she had been through?_ Natsuki pushed the thought away and instead let her eyes wander over the finery. "Where are we?"

"We're at the old palace. The prince teleported us here after his soldiers found you on the mountain. He said it's not the capital but it's the closest location to the summoning site." She looked like she wanted to say more but the girl on the floor interjected.

"Did you really freeze an entire mountain?" She loudly questioned.

"Uh what?" Natsuki looked back over to the redhead.

"Mikoto is talking about when they found you. Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself. My name is Mai Tokiha and this ball of energy is Mikoto Minagi." Mikoto responded by clinging to the redhead's arm and nodding her head happily.

"Natsuki Kuga." The green eyed girl responded simply. "What's this about freezing a mountain?"

"Well, after they found you unconscious they mentioned that you had frozen part of the forest." Mai paused before laughing softly. "It's crazy, isn't it? Magic. Castles. This whole situation."

Natsuki tried to keep her face passive at the shocking news. She had frozen a forest? What had happened? She remembered the feeling of energy flowing out of her right before she blacked out. Did that mean she froze the bug monster too? Mai didn't mention it - but maybe the soldiers hadn't mentioned it so they wouldn't scare her.

 _Froze a mountain_... That hadn't been a skill from her game character (she wasn't a magician in the game) so what was that? Power from the goddess?

Speaking of Fumi...

"Did either of you meet a woman before coming here? Pink hair, white robes... apron..."

"You mean the goddess that brought us here!" The 'ball of energy' said. "She said we'd be heroes!" The girl seemed to pump up even more at that statement. "We'll defeat the bad guys and save people."

"She did say something like that..." Mai mentioned thoughtfully. "But she also said we were chosen out of convenience when I asked, so I don't know how easy that will be." She sighed. "The portals bridging this world and ours only connected at wherever each of us were picked up. She chose whoever was there at the time to be a hero. For me, it was while I was walking home with my brother." Her expression grew cloudy at that. Worry for her sibling.

"Mine was at my grandpa's shrine." Mikoto said with a smile. "I just got home from school. Grandpa said this could happen one day." The teenager crossed her arms and nodded to herself like she knew exactly what she was talking about.

Mai smiled at the girl and petted her head. "Yes, yes. And the goddess was so impressed with you, she gave you a magic sword."

The younger girl practically purred under the attention Mai was giving her. They sure seemed close.

"Did you two know each other before all this happened?" Natsuki felt like the outsider here. _But didn't she always?_

"No. Why?" The redhead asked innocently.

"Nevermind." Natsuki closed her eyes. "So what you're saying is that we're bystanders - kidnapped because the residents here can't fight for themselves." What a day. She felt so tired.

"I wouldn't put it so bluntly, but yes. If we want to get home, we'll have to get this over with." Mai looked worried but smiled anyway. "We can do this. The gifts from the goddess should help give us an advantage." She put a hand to her chest. "I asked for healing skills. Mikoto here asked for an unbeatable sword." Two pairs of eyes concentrated on Natsuki. "What did you ask for?"

Natsuki turned away as she thought of her embarrassing request.

 _I want power. Like a video game character._

"Power." She gripped the necklace around her neck again. "I asked for power."

"Hmm. I guess that would explain your magic abilities." Mai said with an air of certainty.

 _But does it? I jokingly asked to be like a video game character. But no character I've ever played could do something like that. But maybe Fumi translated my request like that._ _She did mention magic or something when explaining the necklace. And she had given me some sort of blessing before that._ Natsuki didn't know what to think - a reality of gods and magic had never struck her as possible before. It was just as Mai said: crazy.

Natsuki looked to the redhead. "So does that mean you healed me? You said that's your gift?"

Mai smiled sheepishly. She was about to say something when there was a sudden knock at the door, breaking the conversation.

Mai responded to it with a "it's open" and a man in armor let himself in. Natsuki recognized him as one of the soldiers she had met at the summoning circle.

"My Prince requests your presence to prepare for an appearance before the King. His Majesty has just arrived from the capital." The soldier nodded respectfully to the three females.

"Right now? But Natsuki just woke up..." Mai protested.

Natsuki didn't want to go but she thought it best to get through this sooner than later. "I told you, I'm fine." She said stubbornly and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "Lets go find out what this king has to say."

The soldier brought them to a waiting room of sorts with red-plush chairs and a gold inlay ceiling. Finely crafted tapestries showed hunting or battle scenes on the walls. The decor screamed _money_.

"Welcome!" The idiot prince stood up from one of the chairs. He spoke to the three of them but his eyes immediately focused on Natsuki. She inwardly groaned and decided to ignore his unwanted attention.

He walked up to the newcomers and did a smooth bow. His clothes were prim and matched his blue cloak. "It is truly an honor to be in your presence." The prince raised his head and gave a pleasant smile. "I've called you here to speak with the King. But before that, I'd like to present you with these." He took bundles of clothe from a nearby servant and gave them to the girls.

Natsuki held up her's and let it unroll into the shape of a cape. It was red with a symbol stitched onto the back in gold thread - a large dot surrounded by broken circle with a dash through one side.

"Please wear these in front of the King and his advisers. It will please his Majesty to see the symbol of the Hime," said the prince.

"Hime?" Mai asked before Natsuki could do the same. The dark haired beauty remembered the goddess mentioning the name but it really hadn't made much sense at the time.

"Yes." The prince nodded - obviously interpreting her question as a statement instead. "The pride and joy of our nation."

"What the Prince means to say," spoke a robed figure in white, stepping out of a corner's shadow, "is that the Hime are the greatest tools ever presented to this kingdom."

Natsuki guessed from the voice that this was probably a young man, but couldn't tell from his appearance due to the white hood shadowing the person's face. Likely, this was one of the prince's magi from yesterday. If that had been yesterday. She forgot to ask Mai how long she had been out.

"Hime are the warrior women the goddess has sent through history to save the human race in times of great peril," the figure explained. He motioned to a tapestry lining part of the wall. It depicted a battle scene with a robed woman striking a pose, sword held high in victory as her troops beat back a group of monsters. A full moon shone directly above her sword with a pink ring around it.

"Legend has it they were capable of anything. They defeated the demon race, single-handed. Brought an end to multiple wars. And they sealed the dark god of the second moon. Beautiful beyond compare."

The prince flicked his eyes to Natsuki as the mage spoke with reverence and awe about the history of the land. It made her uncomfortable to think these people would expect the same from her. That she could become some sort of "tool" capable of mass destruction.

"I would love to speak with you more, but we shouldn't keep the King waiting. If you would." The mage gestured for them to don their cloaks.

Natsuki was the last, and probably most reluctant, to drape the cape across her shoulders. It felt ridiculous.

A soldier came from a passageway to report that the king was ready to receive them now. They followed him into a grand hall - complete with columns, floor to ceiling windows, and a very high ceiling. Lit torches lined the walls even though plenty of daylight streamed in from the windows. White banners hung straight on either side of a gold throne - the coat of arms bearing two swords crossed behind a large pink circle. It looked a bit like the moon on the tapestry. Natsuki noticed that the person in white didn't follow them into the hall.

In the throne sat the King dressed in all his regalia. He had grayish-brown hair with a beard showing white to reflect his age. Natsuki supposed he once had the boyish looks of the prince, but time had left him worn. Yet he appeared to be fit in shape, if a little thick around the waist - rather a bear of a man really.

Behind him stood a group of old men with white beards. His council probably. A few watched the girls walking into the room but most just conferred with each other.

Natsuki gave them an indifferent stare as she lined up with the other two Hime.

A hush fell over the hall as a servant proclaimed the King Masashi would now give audience to the Goddess Fumi's Hime.

"Heroes," the king's voice boomed out. "Thank you for heeding our call. As I'm sure my son has told you, we are in desperate need. We have summoned you with the Sacred Pillars to end the strife plaguing the land. Those known as the Demon Race are plotting to obliterate humankind for their own desires. We appeal to you to lend this kingdom your powers and lead us in victory against our enemies!" The king ended his impassioned speech by bowing his head once.

Nods of appreciation at the man's short speech were given by the crowd.

Mai was the first to respond to his request. "Of course, your Majesty! We will do everything we can to help your people." The shorter girl, Mikoto, nodded emphatically at the redhead's statement. She'd probably agree with anything Mai said.

Natsuki, for her part, gave a sidelong glare at the other woman. Since when did she speak for all of them?

"You have my gratitude. The kingdom will of course reward you. Ask anything of us and we will strive to meet your needs."

"How about returning us home?" Natsuki stepped forward and dared to meet the eyes of the king with a glare. "Do you even know how?" She challenged.

Mai looked nervously between the king and the other Hime. She really didn't want any conflict, but she also wanted to know what the king would say so she kept quiet. She had to return home to her brother.

The king looked down on this brash, beautiful, young woman and thought carefully about his answer. "That was the plan all along. As soon as we claim victory, we will be able to gather the necessary pieces for your return - if you so wish to at that time."

Natsuki didn't like the look in his eyes. Though she may have been a little biased since this was the man directly responsible for their kidnapping. She relented, however, since picking a fight with the most powerful man in the room probably wasn't a good idea. After stepping back into place, Natsuki glanced at the other two Hime to see naive trust written on their faces. They probably wouldn't be of any use to her in getting home.

"Until then, I invite you to stay here in my household and train to become the heroes you were meant to be. You will be guests of the crown." The large man stood and held his arms out in a welcoming gesture. "I declare a feast shall be commenced in your honor!" He immediately began ordering servants around and making demands.

The prince showed the girls out of the hall and stupidly asked Natsuki if he could expect a dance with her at the feast. She, of course, ignored him and continued walking as servants led them from the waiting chamber.

The three young women were bustled back to their rooms. Maids dressed them, much to Natsuki's annoyance, and fussed over how they should appear at the upcoming feast. Out of the assortment of dresses brought before her, the servants chose a ridiculous puffy green dress to match her emerald eyes. Despite her protests, they were somehow able to put it on her.

When she was finally able to get the last servant to leave, she took a moment to observe their handiwork. The dress hugged her waist and complimented her bust, which she admitted looked good, but then it just... poofed out. It looked like something old fashioned and formal. Impractical.

Natsuki put a hand up to her reflection in the mirror. She looked just like a doll. Pretty but fragile.

She couldn't allow herself to become the king's plaything. She wouldn't allow it. Or worse, the prince... whatever his name was - for that matter. Her fist found the glass of the mirror and it smashed.

Natsuki quickly stripped and changed back to her old clothes. She had to find that idiot prince and tell him she was leaving tonight. If the only way to get home was to defeat the Demon King like in a video game, then she was going to get it over with. She would solo hunt and level up as fast as she could. There was no reason for her to play nice or participate in politics. All she wanted was to return to familiarity. She didn't have anyone waiting for her like Mai did. But she did have a job, an apartment, and a motorcycle. Enough reason to return quickly.

With her ice magic, and game know-how, defeating demons would probably be a cinch.

She found her backpack next to a wardrobe and slung it over her shoulder before taking a deep breathe and stomping out of her room.

Now on to the loathsome task of hunting down a stupid royal.


End file.
